In an attempt to halt the practice of selling animals for research, the City Council has voted to alter its contract with a Los Angeles County-run animal control center.

The council voted 4 to 1 Tuesday to send a written notice to the Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control Center in Baldwin Park, prohibiting the sale of stray animals from Arcadia for research purposes.

Councilman Robert C. Harbicht voted against the prohibition because "animal research has saved million of lives."

County shelters are allowed to to sell animals to "approved research institutions," such as nonprofit laboratories, hospitals and colleges for medical research.

The Baldwin Park center is the only one in the San Gabriel Valley that sells strays for research. The center's policy, however, excludes the selling of dogs that are purebreds or are licensed.

City officials said the facility has sold six dogs from Arcadia in the past year.